What is business analysis?

Business analysis is all about figuring out what a company needs and how to solve its problems. Think of it as detective work where you’re piecing together clues (like customer complaints or process hiccups) to improve how things run. A Business Analyst (BA) is the person who does this detective work, connecting the dots between what the business wants and what the tech team can deliver.

What Does a Business Analyst Actually Do?

A Business Analyst wears many hats, but here’s the gist:

1. Figuring Out What’s Needed (Requirements Gathering)

   • Artefacts Produced: Requirements Document, Stakeholder Interview Notes

   • The BA talks to everyone—customers, employees, managers—to figure out what’s going wrong and what the business needs to fix it. They write all this down in a clear requirements document that everyone can understand.

2. Checking How Things Work Now (Process Analysis)

   • Artefacts Produced: Process Flow Diagrams, Gap Analysis Report

   • The BA then dives into the current process, mapping out each step to spot where things might be getting stuck. They create diagrams and reports that make it easy to see the pain points.

3. Coming Up with Solutions (Solution Design)

   • Artefacts Produced: Solution Design Document, Wireframes, Prototypes

   • Now, the BA brainstorms possible solutions, like tweaking the checkout process or adding new features. They might sketch out wireframes or create simple prototypes to show what the new solution could look like.

4. Keeping Everyone in the Loop (Stakeholder Communication)

   • Artefacts Produced: Presentation Slides, Meeting Notes, Communication Plan

   • Communication is key! The BA makes sure everyone’s on the same page by presenting the proposed solutions and gathering feedback. They document these discussions to keep a record of decisions made.

5. Making Sure It Works (Testing and Validation)

   • Artefacts Produced: Test Cases, Test Results Report

   • Before anything goes live, the BA helps test the new solution to ensure it works as intended. They create test cases, oversee testing, and compile a report on the outcomes.

6. Helping with the Change (Change Management)

   • Artefacts Produced: Training Materials, User Guides, Change Management Plan

   • Finally, the BA helps with the transition, creating user guides or training materials to ensure everyone is ready for the change. They also develop a plan to manage any issues that might pop up during implementation.

A Real-World Example: Fixing an E-commerce Checkout

Imagine an online store where customers are abandoning their shopping carts during checkout. The company wants to know why and how to fix it.

1. Requirements Gathering

   • The BA talks to customers and reviews feedback. They document all the reasons why people might be dropping out of the checkout process.

2. Process Analysis

   • The BA maps out the entire checkout process from start to finish, identifying where customers might be getting frustrated. They produce a process flow diagram and a report highlighting the gaps.

3. Solution Design

   • The BA proposes changes like simplifying forms, offering more payment options, and showing shipping costs earlier. They create wireframes to visualize these changes and document the proposed solutions.

4. Stakeholder Communication

   • The BA presents these ideas to the stakeholders with clear slides and gets their buy-in. They also keep detailed meeting notes to track decisions.

5. Testing and Validation

   • Before launching the new checkout, the BA writes test cases to make sure everything works smoothly. They oversee the testing process and compile the results to ensure the fixes work.

6. Change Management

   • The BA helps roll out the new checkout process, creating training materials and a plan to handle any issues that might arise during the transition.

Wrapping Up

Business analysis is like a puzzle, and a Business Analyst is the one who puts the pieces together. They identify what’s needed, analyze the current situation, design solutions, and ensure everything works smoothly—all while keeping everyone in the loop. With clear documentation and strong communication, they help businesses solve problems and improve processes, just like in our e-commerce checkout example.